The effect of carbohydrates and osmoticum on storage reserve accumulation and germination of Norway spruce somatic embryos
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Date
2013
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Physiologia plantarum
Abstract
Somatic embryogenesis (SE) represents a useful experimental system for studying the regulatory
mechanisms of embryo development. In this study, the effect of carbohydrates and osmoticum on
storage reserve accumulation and germination of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst) somatic
embryos were investigated. Using time lapse photography, we monitored development from
proliferation of proembryogenic masses (PEMs) to maturation of somatic embryos in two P. abies cell
lines cultured on two maturation treatments. A combination of sugar assays, metabolic and proteomic
analyses were used to quantify storage reserves in the mature somatic embryos. The maturation
treatment containing a non-permeating osmoticum, polyethylene glycol (PEG, 7.5%) and maltose
(3%) as the carbohydrate gave significantly high maturation and low germination frequencies of
somatic embryos compared to the treatment with only 3% sucrose. Somatic embryos treated with 3%
sucrose contained high levels of sucrose, raffinose and late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins.
These compounds are known to be involved in the acquisition of desiccation tolerance during seed
development and maturation. In addition the sucrose treatment significantly increased the content of
starch in the somatic embryos while the maltose and PEG treatment resulted in somatic embryos with
a high content of storage proteins. The high levels of sucrose, raffinose and LEA proteins in the
embryos treated with 3% sucrose suggest that sucrose may improve the germination of somatic
embryos by promoting the acquisition of desiccation tolerance.
Description
Keywords
Carbohydrates, Osmoticum, Storage reserve accumulation, Germination, Norway spruce somatic embryos
Citation
Businge, E., Bygdell, J., Wingsle, G., Moritz, T., & Egertsdotter, U. (2013). The effect of carbohydrates and osmoticum on storage reserve accumulation and germination of Norway spruce somatic embryos. Physiologia plantarum, 149(2), 273-285. doi: 10.1111/ppl.12039